Kensington and Chelsea

Family life changed for many in Kensington and Chelsea in the 10 years leading up to 2011. Data from the census also show there were changes in housing tenure and ethnicity.

The population changed very little

Between the last two censuses, the population of Kensington and Chelsea remained close to 159,000.

The loss of just under 300 people means this area's population was the most rapidly-declining in London and, while the population of England increased by 7.9%.

In 2011, Kensington and Chelsea was home to, on average, 93 people per football pitch-sized piece of land. This made it England's second-most densely-populated borough.

Population density was higher than the average across London

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across London, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Kensington and Chelsea

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Kensington and Chelsea increased by one year, from 35 to 36 years.

This cosmopolitan area had a higher average age than London and remained somewhat younger than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The fall in age was because of an increase of just under 2,700 people between the ages of 40 and 49 years, while the population between 50 and 59 years decreased by just over 2,000.

About 15% of people in Kensington and Chelsea are aged between 40 and 49 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, London and Kensington and Chelsea by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

The percentage of married people increased

Kensington and Chelsea saw England's second-largest rise in the proportion of married people.

In 2011, just over one in three (36%) people aged 16 and over in Kensington and Chelsea said they were married, compared with 33% in 2001. The percentage that said they were single decreased from 49% to 48%.

England's largest increase in the proportion of married people occurred in City of London (from 31% to 35%).

Because of its small size, comparisons to City of London should be made with caution.

The proportion of married people was lower than across London

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were married across local authority areas in London and the average across England, March 2011

Disability in Kensington and Chelsea

Kensington and Chelsea saw London's third-largest fall in the proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability.

In 2011, just under 1 in 20 (4.7%) in Kensington and Chelsea reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities, compared with 5.4% in 2001. The percentage who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 1.7% to 2.2%.

Across the region, only Barking and Dagenham (from 5.7% to 4.7%) and Redbridge (from 6.8% to 6.2%) saw a greater decrease in the proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability.

Every local authority area across London saw a fall in the proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability, as the regional average fell from 5.8% to 5.3%.

During this period, Kensington and Chelsea went from having the 22nd-highest to the 11th-lowest percentage of people who are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability out of 309 English local authority areas.

The proportion of people who are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across London

Percentage of usual residents that reported being slightly limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in London and the average across England, March 2011

Kensington and Chelsea stood out from other areas for working hours

The percentage of people working long hours increased in Kensington and Chelsea, while falling across London and England.

In Kensington and Chelsea, the proportion went up from 23% in 2001 to 24% in 2011. During the same period, the regional proportion fell from 13% to 11%.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week in Kensington and Chelsea increased from 2.0% to 2.8%.

Long hour working was higher than across London

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census across local authority areas in London and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of households in Kensington and Chelsea that rented privately increased from 27% to 36% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just under one in four (25%) households lived in social housing, compared with 26% in 2001. The percentage of Kensington and Chelsea households that owned their home decreased from 43% to 36%.

The proportion of privately rented homes increased here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of London (from 15% in 2001 to 25% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.9% to 17%.

Private renting in Kensington and Chelsea increased by 9.2 percentage points

Percentage of households in Kensington and Chelsea, London and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

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